Steve Mills and his wife have one daughter. They previously owned two coffee/ice cream shops, currently operate an internet sales company and teach classes, but his primary job involves the paper industry worldwide. Hobbies and interests lie in gardening, photography, recorded music and of course, their pets.

Working on my funk. Avoidance therapy? Call for action?

I have been missing again when it comes to posting. Or at least, slowing down. My diagnosis was that I seemed to be in a funk, or depressed mood.

Trying to resolve that made me realize that it was the same way I felt when the political season was in high gear. Constant bombardment of negative comments and stories about how our country was doing, even though statistics proved otherwise just raised my frustrations to a point that I literally started getting nauseous.

The opponents to Mr. Trump are in such a frenzy that they cannot seem to live their life without finding fault, predicting catastrophe, seeing villains in everything and everyone one surrounding him. When they could not find good in the Korean developments, and low unemployment figures, I saw the proverbial writing on the wall.

So.... my avoidance routine is going into practice. Some will relate it to the ostrich myth of sticking their head in the sand. If so, no worries, you apparently believe they do.

But when I see an ostrich like this, I have to smile and wonder if they are not on to something.

So, you may not see a lot of controversial posts for a while. Unless I trip over it and it REALLY fires me up for some reason, I am going to post positive or at least post things that I think that we can personally improve. It will result in low feedback comments as I have already seen, but may result in a better mood and equal readership.

If someone hears the calling to be a enabler of political discussion, please talk to the T-G about becoming a blogger. We need other voice. To those who ARE bloggers, PLEASE get active again.

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It is depressing to see the constant negativity from perpetual victims.

Avoidance is not the answer. If we are silent, they win.

-- Posted by quietmike on Sun, May 6, 2018, at 6:37 PM

It IS depressing to see such negativity being fabricated in many cases. I am just at a point where I need positive, not negative.

Another cause for my "funk" might be the passing of a friend I know from my business life. Barbara was actually not directly involved in the business, but instead married to a man who is still the head of a family publishing company that covers the industry.

We met at the Waldorf Astoria many years back. Jack and their sons were host to presidents and upper levels of management in our industry once a year during an annual convention. They were responsible for me meeting some key "movers and shakers" in the industry.

Each year from then on, Barbara and I would man the entrance table, handing out name tags to the invitees and we would have time to talk about our lives, more than business. One thing she found out about me was that lived near Jack Daniels distillery (her flat out favorite).

We always talked about her and Jack coming down to tour when business brought them this way, but it never developed, so would always bring her a collector's bottle each year and made sure "Jack" was always at the bar for their reception.

I have no idea what the Waldorf charged for a special bottle, but Jack and the boys never flinched. Anything for Barbara and the love for the family matriarch was very apparent. After all, they were married 63 years!

Life is life, but I miss her even more than when we were only separated by our yearly soiree.

-- Posted by stevemills on Mon, May 7, 2018, at 9:15 AM

Aaah, You're just hitting the bottle too much!

The medicine bottle I mean!

They can't make a medicine that doesn't make you depressed or suicidal, then wonder why the world is like it is.

Take the k out of Funk and go out and have some fun. Laugh and enjoy! Laughter is the best medicine for whatever ails you!

They claim a dog or cat in your life can make for a more loving and enjoyable life. With all the cats you harbor in your backyard cat haven, you should be about the most loved man around town or at least in your back yard, lol.

-- Posted by sui on Wed, May 9, 2018, at 12:58 PM

Thanks sui. If cats solved it, aaI would have a lot extra to go around.

Fun is why I am avoiding news. Not fun enough.

I am making more time for my photography. That could make a difference.